Residential Fire Insurance Information

Insurance Services Office, Inc (ISO) recently changed the minimum requirements which a community must meet in order to qualify for Public Protection Classification (PPC™). These changes have effectively caused Clay County to move from one uniform Public Protection Classification for the whole County to four distinct classes: Class 4, properties located both within 5 travel miles of a fire station and 1,000’ of a fire hydrant, Class 4x, properties located within 5 travel miles of a fire station, but outside of 1,000’ of a fire hydrant, Class 10w, properties located more than 5 miles but less than 7 miles of a fire station with a creditable water source within 1,000', and Class 10, properties located outside of 5 miles travel distance from a fire station.

This has understandably caused confusion for our residents, some who are now experiencing substantial premium increases for homeowners insurance. In an effort to aid their understanding of this important issue, the Department has prepared the following information for distribution to residents as needed. For detailed questions regarding this issue, please call (904) 284-7703 or email fire.inspector@claycountygov.com.

Who or What is ISO?

Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) is a provider of data, underwriting and risk management (with special focus on community fire-protection efforts and Building Code Effectiveness Evaluation) to property-casualty insurers and other clients.

Before a community can receive an ISO Public Protection Classification (PPC™), the community must have at least these minimum facilities and practices:

Organization The community must have a fire department organized permanently under applicable state or local laws. The organization must include one person responsible for the operation of the department, usually with the title of "chief."

Membership Must have sufficient membership to assure the response of at least four members to structure fires.

Training The fire department must conduct training for active members, at least two hours every two months.

Alarm notification Alarm facilities and arrangements must be such that there is no delay in the receipt of alarms and the dispatch of firefighters and apparatus.

Apparatus The department must have at least one piece of apparatus meeting the general criteria of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1901, Automotive Fire Apparatus.

Housing The department must house apparatus to provide protection from the weather.

Coverage The maximum allowable travel distance from Fire Station to incident location is 5 miles.

Understanding Public Protection Classification (PPC)

ISO Provides community fire-protection underwriting information through the use of the Public Protection Classification (PPC™) Service. It gauges the capacity of the local fire department to respond to fire incidents.

To do this, ISO collects information on a community's public fire protection and analyzes the data using the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS).

It then assigns a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire-suppression program doesn't meet ISO's minimum criteria.

By classifying a community's ability to suppress fires, ISO provides crucial insurance rating information to insurance companies that use this information to determine rates. ISO currently has extensive information on more than 47,000 fire-response jurisdictions.

Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS)

Measures the major elements of a community's fire-suppression system. Here's how it works:

Fire alarms Ten percent of the overall grading. Based on how well the fire department receives fire alarms and dispatches its fire-fighting resources.

Engine companies Fifty percent of the overall grading is based on the number and distribution of engine companies, firefighter response to emergencies, training of those members and maintenance/testing of equipment.

Water supply Forty percent of the grading is based on the community's water supply, distribution of fire hydrants, and focuses on whether the community has sufficient water supply for fire suppression beyond daily maximum consumption.

Why is ISO Important to the Rate You Pay for Property Insurance?

Virtually all U.S. insurers of homes and business property use ISO’s PPC in calculating premiums. In general, the lower the location’s PPC the lower the price of fire insurance.

Public Protection Classifications for Clay County:

Clay County residents can expect to receive one of the following Public Protection Classifications:

Class 4: Properties located both within 5 travel miles of a fire station and 1,000’ of a fire hydrant.

Class 4X: Properties located within 5 travel miles of a fire station, but outside of 1,000’ of a fire hydrant.

Class 10W: Properties located more than 5 but less than 7 travel miles of a fire station, with a creditable water source within 1,000’.

(Note: Owners of properties within this category must request this credit from their property insurer.)

Class 10: Properties located outside of 5 miles travel distance from a fire station. This does not meet ISO's minimum facility coverage requirement.

The Clay County Public Safety Department, provides fire response and emergency medical services to unincorporated Clay County and the municipalities of Green Cove Springs, Penney Farms and Keystone Heights. It staffs 12 Fire Stations located throughout the County. The Department operates 12 Engines (which are Advanced Life Support or ALS), 1 Ladder, 9 ALS Rescue Units, 7 Water Tenders, and 9 Brush/Woods Units. Annually, the Department responded to more than 18,500 calls for service.